The Brewster

When the Bears traded away Ares Papadias during the 2038 season, it left a gaping hole behind the plate that arguably sank the 2038 season and threatened to torpedo the 2039 season before it even got started. The team decided to take a massive chance and promote Bin Okorafor following only 71 games of sub replacement level offense at AA. Okorafor more than responded to the challenge however, putting together a season that surprised virtually everyone and backstopping the Bears to a playoff return.

NOTE: all rankings here are relative to his fellow FL rookies, not the league as a whole.

BB: 42 (4)
HR: 30 (5)
RBI: 87 (6)
WAR: 2.0 (8)
OPS+: 87 (8)
OBP: .295 (8)
SLG: .465 (8)
OPS: .760 (8)
wOBA: .315 (8)

I like Okorafor quite a bit. He's what John Hale would be if Hale could give serious defense.

Okorafor can contribute every day even if he can't hit LHP, where Hale really does need to platoon if he's going to add value.

All I ask from my guys is that they do 1 thing well offensively. In the case of okorafor (and papadias for that matter) it is hit the ball over the fence.

Against RHP, Okorafor also walks well enough to say he doesn't have any real glaring holes. If he's got a problem right now it's that he's up before his defense is really elite. But here's a great example of where that's not an issue because he can compete with that elite power, and SFB totally needs him today.

I was really hoping to play out papadias thru this year and give okorafor that much more time for development to let his defense fill in (although the talent is there). Saw the chance to pick up zeitler though and Brett wouldn't budge on not including him.